USPTO Patents Application 09982110

Attorney Docket No.: F077

Claims

1. In a FIB column subassembly including an ion gun including a liquid metal ion
source, a plurality of lems elements for extracting and focusing the ions, one or more beam
apertures, and an electrostatic deflection means, the improvement comprising one or more
dielectric bushings for positioning one or more lens elements and for providing a vacuum
container for the one or more elements.

2. The FIB column of claim 1 in which the dielectric bushing positions and
electrically isolates one or more components of an ion gun and in which the dielectric
bushing forms a vacuum container for the ion gun.

3. The FIB column ©f claim 1 in which electrical wires penetrate at least one of the
one or more ceramic bushings

4. The FIB column oflclaim 3 in which the wires penetrating at least one or more
ceramic bushings are vacuum sealed using a fusing process, a brazing process, a glue, or O-

rings.

5. The FIB column of claim 1 in which the FIB column includes final lenses and in
which the position of the emitter is fixed relative to the final lenses and fiirther comprising
electrostatic steering electrodes bemveen the gun and final lenses.

6. The FIB column of cla|m 1 fiirther comprising electroetched, electroformed, or
laser ablated beam apertures.

7. The FIB column of claiAi 1 fiirther comprising an in-vacuum isolation valve

mechanism.

8. The FIB column of claii

which the in-vacuum isolation valve includes a

pneumatic bellows to activate the /alve.

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Attorney Docket No,: F077

9. The FIB columm of claim 7 in which the in-vacuum isolation valve includes a
pushrod and bell crank to activate the valve.

10. The FIB column pf claim 1 further comprising an in-vacuum aperture changing
mechanism.

1 1 . The FIB column oi claim 10 in which the in-vacuum aperture changing
mechanism comprises one or more piezoelectric actuators, DC motors or stepper motors for
driving stage.

12. An ion gun for a focused ion beam system, comprising:
a dielectric housing;

an emitter assembly fastened to the dielectric housing, the emitter assembly including
an emitter, a suppressor, an extraclor and an extractor aperture; and

one or more ion optical elenjents fastened to the dielectric housing and aligned with
the emitter assembly.

13. The ion gun of claim 12 in which the emitter assembly and the one or more
optical elements are maintained in a vacuum and in which the dielectric housing provides

the walls of a vacuum chamber.

14. The ion gun of claim 12 in
metallic shield.

which the dielectric housing is surrounded by a

her comprising a vacuum isolation valve actuatable

15. The ion gun of claim
to seal the ion gun.

16. The ion gun of claim 12 irf which the position of the emitter assembly can be
adjusted to align the emitter assembly \ith the one or more ion optical elements fastened to
the dielectric housing.

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Attorney Docket No.: F077

17. The ion gun oAclaim 12 in which the position of the emitter assembly is fixed in
alignment relative to the om or more ion optical elements fastened to the dielectric housing.

18. A ion gun dielectric bushing comprising a dielectric material formed to support

and align multiple ion optica

elements and to form a vacuum chamber surrounding those

elements, the vacuum chamb jr including at least one opening for supplying electrical
voltage to one or more of the multiple optical elements.

19. A prealigned emi ter assembly for a focused ion beam comprising an emitter, a
suppressor, an extractor and at least one extractor aperture element, the emitter, suppressor,
and extractor being positioned and aligned with respect to each other, the assembly capable
of being inserted as a unit int^ an ion beam optical column.

20. The emitter assembjly of claim 19 further comprising a dielectric housing for

sor, and extractor.

supporting the emitter, suppres

sc

21 . The emitter assembly of claim 20 in which the dielectric housing includes a hole

ict<

for passing an electrical conductor.

22. A focused ion beam column including:

a prealigned emitter assembly in accordance with claim 19; and

a mating member for supporting and positioning the emitter assembly.

23. A method of forming a gun assembly for a focused ion beam column,
comprising:

providing a dielectric hou >ing configured to support multiple gun elements and to
form a vacuum container for the gun;

aligning metallic optical elfements within the dielectric housing; and

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Attorney Docket No.: F077

providing electrical connections to the metallic optical elements through the one or
more dielectric housings.

24. The method of claim 2 1 further comprising providing a vacuum pump for
evacuating the vacuum opntainer formed by the dielectric housing.

25. The method oi claim 21 further comprising providing a vacuum isolation valve
for isolating the dielectric housing.

26. In a multiple beam system for producing a focused ion beam column and a
second charged particle beam within a system vacuum chamber, the focused ion beam
column including a liquid n^etal ion source, a plurality of lens elements for extracting and
focusing the ions, one or more beam apertures, an electrostatic deflection means, beam
blanking means, and vacuumipump plus associated electronics and controls, the
improvement comprising an ion gun dielectric bushing for supporting one or more gun
elements and for providing a gun vacuum container for the one or more gun elements.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising a vacuum isolation valve for isolating
the gun vacuum container, the vacuum isolation valve actuation mechanism being operable

without a mechanical drive connection to outside a system vacuum chamber.

I

28. The method of claim 27 in which the vacuum isolation valve is operated
pneumatically and in which a fcna^ connection for operating the vacuum isolation valve
passes through the wall of the system vacuum chamber.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising an automated variable aperture drive
positioned within the vacuum chamber, the drive being operable without a mechanical drive
connection to outside the vacuum cnamber.

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Attorney Docket No.: F077

he met

30. The method of claim 29 in which the automated variable aperture drive includes
a piezoelectri/ppsitioner.

3 1 . The method of claim 29 in which the automated variable aperture drive includes
an electric moto :

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